The Underworld
by Flame Soldier
Summary: When Edgeworth decides to stand against the Cadaverinis, he knows that Gumshoe will be the only one on his side. They have to stand up against a world filled with lies, corruption, and betrayal; the Underworld, a place where murder is always the solution.
1. Chapter 1

**The Underworld**

**A/N I do not own Ace Attorney.**

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Gumshoe balanced atop the ladder precariously. "Er... Which file did you want again, sir?"

"The Smith file," Edgeworth replied, crossing his arms.

"Uh... There's a lot of them sir," the detective decided to point out.

"Adam Smith," the prosecutor replied patiently.

"Yes sir..." The detective began searching for the file. "So do you really think these two cases are connected, sir?" He remembered the Adam Smith case- it was a simple breaking and entering case gone wrong. What connection could it have with the death of a prominent business man? Locating the file, he flipped through it, trying to see if he was perhaps mistaken about the case. He froze as he spotted the name on one of the pages. His shock was almost enough to make him fall forward off the stepladder into the large shelf of case files. "Cadaverini! Mr. Edgeworth... You're keeping tabs on the Cadaverinis? Sir... Do you understand how dangerous that is?"

"They are criminals," Miles replied simply. "Criminals deserve to be brought to justice."

"But they have every judge in their pocket! They are the most powerful family in the criminal underworld!"

"Does that make it okay for them to commit crimes, Detective?"

"No, of course not sir! But-but... You need to stop this right now! If they found out that you've been keeping tabs on them..."

"I'm disappointed in you, Detective Gumshoe. I thought you to be a different man than that." Edgeworth sighed. "I thought you of all people would understand..."

"I... I do understand sir!" Gumshoe replied. "I-I'm just worried... If Bruto Cadaverini found out you were investigating him, he'd kill you without hesitation. He'd murder you and get away with it because of his influence over the courts..." He climbed down and handed the prosecutor the file.

Edgeworth took the file and walked over to his desk, sitting down and beginning to make more notes in the file. "You know... They said that about another man. That supposedly untouchable man is now sitting on death row. One man had the courage to stand up to him, and because of this one man, a criminal was brought to justice."

The detective blinked, his face turning grave. "You're talking about Redd White and Phoenix Wright."

Miles nodded, not looking up from the file. Putting the pen down, he looked up at Gumshoe. "If Wright, with no one on his side could take down someone as influential as White, then so can I."

Gumshoe decided not to point out that White was just a raindrop and the Cadaverinis an entire ocean. "Mr. Edgeworth sir... You won't be alone. I'm on your side. I'll help you!"

Edgeworth closed the file and looked up at Gumshoe once again. "I can't ask you to do that, Detective. You know that the precinct has a policy about individual investigations... You would not have the backing or resources of the police. You wouldn't be..." He trailed off, not wanting to continue his sentence.

"Wouldn't be what?" the detective asked. Sudden understanding flashed across his face. "Wouldn't be useful to you? Is that it?"

The prosecutor winced at Gumshoe's depressed looking face. It was true, he wouldn't be very useful. He legally wouldn't have access to any police files, the forensics lab or anything that would be useful to him, and the detective had never been a very bright investigator. He knew that if he asked the detective would get him anything he wanted, legal or not, but... He just couldn't take the risk of having him get fired. After so many pay cuts he gave him, he couldn't just go and get him fired- he owed him that much at least...

"I can help you sir! I promise I won't get in your way!" Gumshoe slammed his palms on the desk, the tremors causing the prosecutor to flinch slightly. His determined gaze met Edgeworth's. "I want- No, I need to help you sir! If they found out what you were doing and came after you, I... I..."

Miles stared at him silently. The detective wanted to protect him from harm? Was that why he was so determined? "Detective Gumshoe..." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "You would really risk your job for me?"

"I would sir."

I was possible that Gumshoe's muscle could become useful... But only if things went terribly wrong. "Are you absolutely certain?"

The detective nodded.

"... You can help me then," Edgeworth decided.

Gumshoe's face lit up. "Thank you sir!"

"You of course know that we can't speak of our investigation to anyone. We don't know how many in the police force are funded by the wallet of Cadaverini."

"You... You really think that there's that many?"

The prosecutor nodded. "Detective... We're facing off against the Cadaverinis. We can trust no one. Not the chief of police, the head prosecutor, or even the average policeman. We're taking down the Underworld, Detective, and we're doing it alone."

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**A/N This first chapter is basically an introduction. It's going to get better after this, I promise.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Underworld Chapter 2  
**

**A/N I do not own Ace Attorney.**

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"So um... How are we going to do this, sir?" Gumshoe asked, scratching the back of his head. "Investigate them without getting caught, I mean."

"I've already found out a lot on my own..." Miles picked up the file and handed it to the detective. "Read this before asking anything. This doesn't leave the office."

He flipped to the first page and sat down at one of the chairs at the chess board. "I'll get started right away, sir." The first page was a list of people Edgeworth was certain were on the Cadaverini pay roll. "Is... Is it really this many people, sir?"

"Probably even more," he replied. "You see now why this can't leave this room?"

Gumshoe nodded, his face heavy with sadness. "I'm friends with some of these people..."

"Don't treat them any differently," Edgeworth warned. "I don't want them suspicious... In fact, try to get more friendly with them. See if you can get some information from them."

"How can I do that when I know that they're criminals, sir?" the detective asked.

"Just act like you would if you were on an undercover mission."

"... I guess I can try, sir."

"Good." The prosecutor went back to scribbling down some notes at his desk while Gumshoe read through the file. It was filled with murders that were never brought to court, shady business transactions, and a lot of information about the Cadaverini's finances. He looked up from the file. "Where did you find all this, sir?"

"Some of it is just simple deduction," Miles replied. "The rest I gathered hard information from various sources while following leads on other cases." He smiled thinly. "It's amazing how much information you can gather from someone's computer when you hand its owner a search warrant."

"But you're only supposed to gather information related to the case at hand."

The prosecutor stared at him for a few moments. "There's a reason that this investigation has been kept a secret, Detective."

"... Yes sir." Gumshoe looked down at the file again. "A new account was opened up recently, and... And you think the Cadaverinis are looking for a new police informant and will pay them with that account?"

Edgeworth nodded. "Correct... In fact, since you volunteered to help me, I have a job for you." Getting up, he made his way over to a filing cabinet in the corner. He withdrew a key from his pocket, and unlocked the top drawer. Grunting with the effort, he withdrew a large stack of files and dropped them on the desk with a loud smack. "These are the files of people in the employ of the police department. Well... Some of them, anyway. I want you to sort through them all and narrow down the candidates that the Cadaverinis would be likely to bribe... I suspect this will take you a few days... I'll have you temporarily reassigned to my office under the guise of helping me with the Revaldi case."

The detective picked up the stack, bringing them over to his chair near the chessboard. "This is only some of them? How many are there?"

"Well, I estimate that what you have there is only a tenth of them."

"There's no way that there's that many police officers, sir."

"Of course not," the prosecutor replied. "There's also the cleaning staff, forensics experts, hired consultants, and maintenance workers. Anyone who could somehow access police records. I already removed the files of anyone already working for the Cadaverinis... You had better get working, Detective."

Sighing heavily, he sat down and picked up the first file in the stack. To his surprise, it was his own. He looked up at Edgeworth inquisitively. Weren't these supposed to be in alphabetical order?

Seeing his look, the prosecutor explained. "Your file is changed the most often. I decided it would be easier to keep it out front rather than dig through to find it every time a change was made..."

Nodding, Gumshoe took a cursory glance at his file. Pay decrease... Pay decrease... Award for diligence... Pay decrease... Psychological profile? Where did that come from? With a sigh, he dropped his file to the floor where he decided the unlikely to be bribed candidates would go. Picking up another file, he began deciding his parameters. Probably someone whose pay wasn't on the high side and who had been marked ambitious on their psych profile. It probably wouldn't be someone that was close to retirement... Figuring that he could come up with more parameters while reading, he began.

It was hours later when Edgeworth told Gumshoe it was time for him to go home for the day. He looked up at him, his eyes bleary from all the reading and analyzing. It had been hard work. At first, he hadn't thought anyone as suspicious, but as he went on, he kept becoming more and more suspicious of everyone. Anyone of them could be bribed by the Cadaverinis... They said that everyone had a price after all...

Miles picked up the thinner pile of the three piles. "Oh great, is this your list of suspects?"

Wearily, the detective shook his head. "No sir... Those are the innocents."

"... Just you, the head detective, and that ninety-year-old cleaning lady?"

"... You think I should suspect the cleaning lady, sir?"

The prosecutor sighed. "Detective Gumshoe... I suggest you narrow your parameters for tomorrow."

Gumshoe looked downcast. "Yes sir..."

For the next few days, Gumshoe sat in Edgeworth's office, sorting through the files. It was hard, but he was making good progress.

On Thursday night, the detective almost ran into someone leaving the prosecutor's office."Dick! Good, I was just looking for you..."

Gumshoe blinked, focusing in on the man in front of him. He was a bit shorter than himself, but would still be considered tall. He had messy black hair, and gray eyes. "Detective Vitcko? You were looking for me?" He tried to stop his eyes from narrowing; he was on the Cadaverini payroll... But Edgeworth wanted him to play undercover, so...

"Wondered if you wanted a drink... On me of course."

He was sorely tempted to say no, but his duty to Mr. Edgeworth would have to come before his dislike of the traitor. "Sure, pal."

Vitcko smiled easily. "Good... You wouldn't mind driving me there, would you? My car's in the shop, so I've been having to walk everywhere."

"That would be fine... Let's go." They left the prosecutors' offices and made their way to the underground parking lot. Gumshoe had been assigned a temporary parking spot within the prosecution side while he worked with Edgeworth. His old hunk of junk of a car looked vastly out of place parked next to the prosecutors' expensive sports cars.

Vitcko climbed into the passenger's seat while Gumshoe sat in the drivers seat and buckled up. "So where are we going?"

"Six Stars Bar," he replied, fastening his seat belt. "It's not too far from here."

Nodding, Gumshoe started the car, which took a few attempts. He stayed silent while driving, glancing over at Vitcko periodically. Usually he was great at small talk, but today... Remembering that Edgeworth warned him not to treat anyone differently, he decided it was pertinent to start some. "So... You watch the game last night, pal?"

Vitcko smiled. "Of course. I never miss the Chargers. I've watched every game of theirs since I was ten."

"You're a big fan then," he replied.

"Yep." The detective tucked his hands into his jacket pockets. "What about you?"

"I'm more of a 49ers fan myself," Gumshoe replied, glancing at him using the mirror. His fiddling through his jacket pockets was a bit distracting...

Seeing his glance, Vitcko stilled his hands. "Well with the way the season's going, looks like it might be the Chargers and the 49ers in the Superbowl. They're both in the play-offs, right?"

Gumshoe nodded, turning his attention back to the road. Within a few minutes, they arrived at the Six Stars Bar.

"What'll ya have?" the bar tender asked as they took a seat at the dimly lit bar.

"Burbon," Gumshoe replied. "On the rocks."

"Make it a double," Vitcko put in. "For me, I'll have a gimlet."

Their drinks were placed in front of them, and Gumshoe took a swig, letting the taste of charcoal and earth play over his tongue. He could feel the alcohol loosening up muscles he didn't even know were tense. He swirled the ice in his drink around, and stared at a few moments, trying to forget that the man sitting next to him was an enemy.

They engaged in some small talk, mostly debating the merits of the Chargers and 49ers. Gumshoe finished his drink off, and Vitcko immediately ordered him a scotch.

"Haven't had a scotch this good in a long time," Gumshoe decided.

"Yes, the scotch is quite good here..." Vitcko took a sip of his drink and stared at it a moment before looking back at him. "Heard your salary went down again this month."

"... Yeah." He took a swig of his scotch.

"Doesn't it bother you?"

Gumshoe stared into his drink for a few moments, trying to formulate his response. The question made him slightly suspicious. Why would he ask about that? "Well... Sometimes, I guess... When I'm trying to pay my bills, but... The job is more important than that, don't you think? Bringing criminals to justice..."

Vitcko nodded in agreement. "Of course, of course..." He took a swig of his drink. "You send a lot of time with Edgeworth, I notice."

"Yeah... We're working on the Revaldi case."

"Any suspects yet?"

Gumshoe nodded. "Yeah... We're probably going to bring them in for questioning soon."

"Good, good..." He went back to drinking his drink, much to Gumshoe's relief. A few minutes later though, he asked another question. "Do you have a girlfriend, Dick?"

He thought of Maggey for a moment, but shook his head. They weren't actually going out, much to his disappointment.

"I know this girl who I think you might like... You should meet her tonight at this restaurant she owns."

So is this why he wanted a drink with him? To send him on a blind date?

"Here's the address," Vitcko said, handing him a piece of paper. "You should meet her there at eight."

"Sure, pal. I'll be there..." Gumshoe couldn't help but feel a little suspicious, but he might as well go to see who it was. The address looked a little familiar after all...

At eight, he standing outside the restaurant. "Tres Bien?" So someone had bought the place from Armstrong? He made his way inside to find that the pink had been toned down a bit, but not by much. He made his way over to to a table where a young woman with black hair was sitting. Her back was to him, so he cleared his throat. "Er... Hi." When she turned around, Gumshoe's eyes widened in shock and alarm.

"I'm glad you could make it... Detective... hee... hee... hee..."

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**A/N Kind of a long chapter, but I was on a roll. :3 That and I didn't want to end the chapter before anything interesting happened. **


	3. Chapter 3

**The Underworld Chapter 3**

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Gumshoe started at her in shock. Viola Cadaverini... This couldn't be a coincidence... It was a set-up! They knew! They had to! But why call him here? What could possibly be going on?

"Why don't you sit down... Detective?" Viola asked quietly. "I'll order you some coffee... Extra strong, just for you... hee... hee... hee..."

"Th-thanks, pal. Er.. Miss C-... Miss Viola." Gumshoe sat across from the woman, swallowing nervously. She no longer wore the head bandage and instead wore a small black bow in her hair. He stared at her a few moments, and she stared back, a cold smirk on her lips. Maybe if he aced like everything was normal, everything would be alright... "Sorry, I ah... Get nervous on blind dates."

"I see... Me too..." She waved a hand to summon the waitress.

"Yes ma'am? ... Detective Gumshoe!"

Gumshoe's eyes widened in shock. "'M-Maggey? Y-you work here still?" He stared at his former underling, who held an empty tray in her hands. The Tres Bien uniform stayed largely the same, being as revealing as ever.

"Yes sir!" Maggey threw him a salute. "I had gotten another job, but a few days ago, Miss Viola made me an offer I couldn't refuse!"

"I... I see," he replied, swallowing.

"Maggey... Why don't you make us some coffee? ... Extra strong... If you know what I mean..."

"Yes ma'am!" Maggey replied enthusiastically, saluting her.

"Oh... And make sure to bring the scones I made..." Her gaze moved to the detective. "I made them especially for you... hee... hee... hee..."

Gumshoe's eyes remind glued onto Maggey as she skipped away happily until she disappeared into the kitchen. His gaze made its way back to Viola as she spoke. She kept her hands under the table, making his spine tingle a bit with suspicion. He resisted the urge to rest his hand on the handle of his gun.

"I trust... That you know who I am?"

Wordlessly, the detective nodded.

Viola's lips twitched, whether it was from amusement or not, he could not tell. "And... Who I am associated with?"

He nodded again, a knot twisting up in his stomach. Bruto Cadaverini, the most feared man in the criminal underworld; a man that he thought he would never have to face... His eyes darted around the restaurant as he tried to figure things out. There was a man reading the paper at the table across from him. Probably back up if he was crazy and tried to pull something on Viola. The knot in his stomach tightened as he noticed the curtains pulled over the windows. If they were to deal with him, there would be no witnesses...

"Do you know why you're here?"

Slowly, Gumshoe shook his head. Maybe if he played dumb, she wouldn't have him killed...

"You spend a lot of time with... Miles Edgeworth." She stared at him, her gaze intense.

He nodded, afraid to lie with her gazing at him like that.

"There have been some... concerns about him..." Viola looked over as Maggey appeared, tray of coffee and scones in her hands.

"Here you go, sir!" She placed the mug of hot coffee in front of him, followed by a plate of scones.

"Th-thanks, Maggey," he managed. He tried keeping his tone calm and even.

She placed a mug in front of Viola, who nodded.

"Why don't you... take the rest of the night off?" Viola offered quietly. "After you... clean up the kitchen, of course."

"Yes ma'am!" Maggey grinned and bounced off toward the kitchen.

"Nice girl..." Viola commented. "It would be a shame if she had... an accident... She's awfully... clumsy... hee... hee... hee..."

Gumshoe's heart skipped a beat and he stared at her, his breathing shaking slightly.

"So you know what will happen if... anyone finds out about this meeting, correct?"

"Y-yes... Wh-what... What do you want from me?" He wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, gripping it tightly to stop them from shaking. They knew about Maggey... Somehow, the Cadaverinis knew about Maggey. What else did they know about him?

"What is Miles Edgeworth up to?"

Gumshoe brought the coffee mug up to his lips and forced himself to take a long sip, giving himself time to formulate an answer without being too suspicious. If he lied Maggey could be killed... but if he didn't, Mr. Edgeworth would be... As long as they didn't find out about the lie... He swallowed the bitter liquid and set the cup down. "Revaldi case. He's been putting together a case against the main suspect."

"And when he's not working at that?" Viola picked up one of the scones and nibbled at it daintily.

"I- I wouldn't know," he admitted. "Mr. Edgeworth... Mr. Edgeworth never tells me much about his personal life."

"I see... We brought you here today, because we have a... deal for you."

"A- A deal?" Gumshoe's voice trembled slightly as a realization hit him. _He_ was the informant they wanted to hire!

"Yes... We've been looking for another person to... keep us updated about certain individuals'... actions."

"You... You want me to be a mole?" Gumshoe's mind raced at this new development. "Wh-why?"

"We think... that Miles Edgeworth might be getting... curious about us. It would be convenient if we could keep an eye on him and if needed... satisfy his curiosity... hee... hee... hee..."

The detective stared down into the blackness of his mug, thinking hard. What was he supposed to do? He was cornered.

"Of course... You don't have to... If you don't want to."

He looked up at her, surprised. "Wh... What do you mean?"

"We would pay you for your efforts, but... We found that unwilling informants quickly had to be... erased." Viola sipped at her coffee, eyes never leaving his face. "Of course... You would have to keep this meeting a secret, or..." Her eyes trailed to the door, where Maggey was leaving.

"I..." Gumshoe's hands shook even as he gripped the coffee mug, causing the hot liquid to splash over his hands. His eyes watered in pain and frustration as he tried to think. He could say no... But what then? Would they really keep their word? What if they killed Maggey? But then again, they'd kill Mr. Edgeworth if they were certain of what he was doing...

"I'll give you some time to... think about it. Be back here in an hour."

Nodding numbly, he got up and stumbled to the door. He vaguely noticed the man with the newspaper getting up and staying a distance behind him; he was being watched. Once outside, he made his way over to his car and sat in the driver's seat, pressing his forehead against the steering wheel. Glancing outside, he saw Maggey talking to two men enthusiastically. Spotting him, she waved, and he waved back half heartedly.

What was he going to do? He had an hour to think about it... He would see Mr. Edgeworth. He would know what to do! After starting the car, he pulled out of the Tres Bien parking lot, and began heading toward the Prosecutor's Office. It only took him a few moments to see the black car following behind him, a small distance away. It could be a coincidence, right? Nervously, he pulled down a side street. Sure enough, a few moments later, the black car appeared in his rear view mirror. He turned down the next street, which happened to be a dead end drive. He stopped at the end and looked back. He could see the head lights of the car that was following him illuminating the opening to the street, indicating that they were just waiting for him to turn around.

There was little doubt in his mind that he was being followed, so going to see Mr. Edgeworth in person, was out of the question. He shoved his hands into his pocket, causing one of them to brush against his cell phone. He pulled it out and dialed in the prosecutor's speed dial number. His hand hovered over the call button before a startling realization hit his mind. Vitcko was in his car. If the Cadaverinis had planned this out as carefully as it seemed... There was little doubt in his mind that there was a bug planted in his car somewhere. If he called Edgeworth, they'd know it, and Maggey would be killed.

His phone plan didn't cover text messaging- he couldn't afford it. Resting his head on the steering wheel again, he squeezed his eyes shut. For once in his life, the facts were all crystal clear to him. The two men talking to Maggey were there to kill her if he made any wrong moves. He was being followed to see if he would go running to Edgeworth. He didn't really have a choice; if he refused, he would just be a loose end to tie up. The time they had allotted him... It had been so he could have the illusion of making a decision.

"Damn it!" Gumshoe slammed his palm against the side of the steering wheel. "I'm cornered... I've got no choice..." Turning around, he made his way back to the Tres Bien parking lot, the car following him the whole way. His heart skipped a beat as he spotted three more me standing on the sidewalk along with the two men still talking to Maggey. Slowly, his hand reached for his gun and switched the safety off. Getting out, he walked past the men, trying to stop himself from shaking. They all stared silently and fell into step behind him. His spine tingled and his hand automatically reached for his gun when he heard the tell-tale clicks of safeties being switched off.

Gulping, he shoved his hand into his pocket instead and entered the restaurant again.

Viola hadn't moved an inch. "You made up your mind... quick... hee... hee... hee..."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Underworld Chapter 4**

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Edgeworth looked up as someone knocked on his door. That was odd... Usually only Gumshoe came to his office, and the detective never knocked. He placed his pen down. Thinking of the detective made him realize that he was late. That was another odd thing. If there was one thing that Gumshoe did right, it was showing up places on time... "Who's there?"

"It's Detective Gumshoe, sir... I uh... I have some important evidence for the Smith case."

The prosecutor frowned as he stood up. Smith case? That was the code name for the Cadaverini case. Was something wrong? He felt his stomach knotting up as he hurried to the door and opened it for the detective.

Gumshoe stood at the door, frowning heavily, something held in his outstretched hands.

Miles stared at it in shock, his eyes trailing up to meet Gumshoe's. A bug. Why did the detective have a listening device? "Come in, Detective." He kept his tone calm and business-like. "Could you get the Smith file down for me?" He pointed to the shelves, hoping Gumshoe would get the idea.

"Yes sir." The detective shuffled over to shelves and placed the bug down before grabbing the Adam Smith file and bringing it over to Edgeworth's desk. Sighing heavily, the prosecutor sat, pulling out a pen and paper from his desk drawer. "This evidence... Is it decisive?" Taking the pen in hand, he wrote, _What's going on?_

"Yes sir," Gumshoe replied, pulling up a chair across from him. He took the pen from him. _I'm the mole._

_ When did this happen? _Edgeworth's eyes were wide in shock. He never expected this. Chewing on his lip, he tried to ignore the sense of guilt he felt. If he hadn't gotten him involved... "So then it was definitely the husband?"

_Last night at Tres Bien Vitcko set me up with Viola Cadaverini._ "No doubt about it sir..." The detective looked down at his hands that were shaking so badly that he could barely write.

"I'll start building my case right away then..." _And you accepted their offer?_

_I didn't have a choice. They threatened Maggey. _"You'll get a guilty verdict without a problem, sir!" His hand hesitated before continuing to write. _I'm afraid that they'll kill her. I don't know what to do._

So they knew about Gumshoe's crush on Maggey? They must have done their research ahead of time then... Miles swallowed. He was on very thin ice here. One wrong move, and it was his life- or Maggey's. _Just do as they say. I'll think of something. _"Thank you, Detective..."

_Yes sir, but if I do that, they'll find out about the investigation. I don't want you to be killed either. _Gumshoe stared at him, his face heavy. _I don't know how closely they're watching me._

Miles closed his eyes and tapped the pen on the paper, thinking. _Do you want to drop out of the investigation? _"Perhaps I should take you out somewhere to celebrate."

"Really, sir?" He stared down at the paper for a few moments before writing a reply. _No, I said I wanted to help you sir, and I meant it. Besides, I'm in too deep now. If I stop coming to this office, they'll kill Maggey. You'll think of a way to save her, won't you sir?_

_I'll try, Detective. I really will. _"Yes... In fact, it's almost lunchtime now... Why don't we go somewhere?" The prosecutor stood up, startling the detective. He needed to get out of there... He needed to go somewhere where they could speak freely.

"Where, sir?" He stood up to follow him as he headed for the door.

Edgeworth decided it would be best to be vague for the people listening in. "Oh, just this place that I know... I'll drive." They stayed in silence as they walked down toward the underground parking garage. Gumshoe went to push the button for the elevator, but glancing at Edgeworth headed for the stairs; the prosecutor didn't use the elevator unless it was completely necessary ever since DL-6.

Following after the detective down the, Miles reflected on his predicament. He was being backed into a corner, and by Detective Gumshoe, no less. He regretted getting Gumshoe involved... Or should he? If Gumshoe hadn't known what was going on, what would have happened when the Cadaverinis had contacted him? Perhaps it was better for him to know what was going on. Hopefully the detective would watch what he said to other people... The only thing that worried him was that someone would get information from Gumshoe. He always did give out case information to the defense... But surely the detective knew that their lives were on the line, right?

He studied the man's back as they went down another floor. What if it came down to his life, or Maggey's? Who would he choose? Who should he choose? He let out a small sigh, causing Gumshoe to glance back at him for a moment.

They reached the parking garage, and Edgeworth unlocked the car doors before he and Gumshoe got in. He took his time buckling his seat belt and starting the car while he searched for bugs. The detective reached into his pocket, and drew something out to hand to Edgeworth; his handmade bug sweeper.

Nodding his thanks, the prosecutor swept the car, and finding it clean, let out another sigh. "Thank you, Detective..." He began backing out of the parking lot, using that as an excuse not to look directly at him.

"You can keep that, sir... You need it more than I do." He looked at Edgeworth who seemed to be concentrating on the road more closely than usual.

"Detective... I'm..." Miles trailed off for a moment. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry, sir?"

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in this mess."

"I told you that I wanted to help you sir. It's not your fault," the detective replied, studying the prosecutor's face carefully.

"It is... If I hadn't been looking into the Cadaverinis, they wouldn't have become suspicious of me. I've been a fool, thinking that I could bring them down. Who am I to think that I could face down the underworld and win?" Edgeworth's eyes narrowed slightly as he stopped at a stop light. For a few moments, the only audible sound was that of the car's left blinker as he prepared to turn.

"Someone has to do it, sir," the detective said finally. "And you're the best person for the job. You're the only person willing to do it who actually has a chance."

"But I've driven myself into a corner... I've driven you into a corner! And I've unwittingly dragged Miss Byrde into this mess as well." He tapped his fingers on his steering wheel nervously, still not looking at Gumshoe. "What am I supposed to do? How can I get us out of this alive? Do I just give up? Do I just let the Cadaverinis get away with their crimes? As a prosecutor, I'm supposed to find the truth, but at what cost?" He finally looked over at the detective, his expression pained.

Gumshoe just stared at him, not knowing what to say and feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Mr. Edgeworth..." The prosecutor had always been the one who knew what to do, not him. The detective had been witness to Edgeworth's insecurities only once before, and that had been after the earthquake had occurred during his stay at the detention center. Seeing him like that made the detective want to give him a big hug, but he knew the younger man would not appreciate it.

"It's your choice, Detective," Miles decided. "You're the one in the most danger right now..." He pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and unbuckled his seat belt. Sighing, he leaned forward, resting his arms and forehead on the steering wheel.

"I wish that were true, sir," Gumshoe replied quietly. "But we both know that they have their sights on you." He reached out a hand as if to lay it on the prosecutor's shoulder, but he hesitated, letting it fall to his side to unbuckle his seat belt. "If you want to keep fighting, them, I'll be right there with you, sir."

Edgeworth turned his head to look at the detective before sliding out of the car. "If we don't fight them... They'll just keep killing more innocents."

The detective nodded in agreement as he got out, closing the car door behind him.

"Then..." the prosecutor hesitated before nodding. "Then we're going to continue our investigation. Because justice should always prevail."

"Yes sir!" Gumshoe exclaimed, relieved that his friend had regained his composure. Edgeworth entered the restaurant with Gumshoe feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was going to follow this through to the end, and he wasn't going to do it alone.

Meanwhile, a man sitting in a nearby car in the parking lot opened his cell phone. "It looks like your first threat wasn't enough to turn him..."

"Then... We'll just have to 'clip' our little birdie's wings, won't we? Hee... hee... hee..."


	5. Chapter 5

**The Underworld Chapter 5**

**A/N Thanks for reading. :D A bit short, but I don't want to put this chapter off any longer...  
**

* * *

Gumshoe looked down at the menu in front of him. Everything seemed so expensive to him, but it probably wasn't that expensive to a man like Mr. Edgeworth who made so much money.

Miles looked over the top of the menu at him, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "Order what ever you want, Detective. I can afford it."

"If you're sure, sir..."

"What can I get you sirs?" The waitress took out her pencil and notepad as she came over.

"I'll have the steak," the detective decided. "And a coke."

"And you?" she looked at the prosecutor inquisitively.

"The Lobster, and a glass of water." He handed his menu to the waitress, who nodded.

"Your food will be served shortly..." She left a basket of rolls on the table before walking off toward the kitchen.

"Wow, rolls," Gumshoe commented,taking one "I haven't been to a restaurant that serves rolls in... a long time."

Edgeworth blinked. "Your salary is that low?"

"Yes sir..."

He winced guiltily. "Oh... I see..." If they managed to get out of this mess alive, he would have to change that...

"Don't feel bad, sir," the detective said, frowning. He took a bite of his roll, chewing slowly to hide his discomfort. He didn't like talking about his salary to Mr. Edgeworth. He swallowed. "Let's talk about the case, sir."

Miles nodded. "Yes, of course... Tell me everything that happened last night. Keep your voice down."

Gumshoe took a breath to calm his nerves before delving into his story. He started with Vitcko, and ended with Viola instructing him to plant the bug. He faltered a few times, his throat tightening when he spoke of Maggey.

He listened to his friend speaking, saying nothing and taking note of every detail, not interrupting even when the detective began to ramble. Taking a breath, he closed his eyes, allowing the detective to get every thing off his chest.

"I know that as soon as I make a wrong step, they'll kill her... I-I'm worried about her, Mr. Edgeworth... I want to warn her, but... I know that that if they find out that I warned her, they'll kill her... I-I'm not sure that there's a way I can save her."

Finally, he opened his eyes and spoke. "You mustn't think like that, Detective."

Gumshoe didn't reply, staring down at the table as their lunch was served. He picked up his fork and began pushing things around the plate for a few moments. Finally, he looked up. "You're right sir... Besides, I know you'll find a way to save her!"

Edgeworth tried to hide his discomfort. In Gumshoe's eyes, he was infallible, but at the moment, he felt anything but... He decided to change the subject. "So it's safe to assume that the Cadaverinis have bought Tres Bien... Probably because no one goes there."

The detective began eating his steak. "You'd think they'd just meet at his house or something..."

"Well they couldn't have their informants go in and out of their house, it would be too obvious... They like to have some amount of discretion..." He pushed his food around his plate, not hungry.

"Tres Bien is around here, isn't it?"

The prosecutor nodded. "It's only a few streets down from here..." His eyes were drawn to the window as he heard the sound of an ambulance rushing by.

Gumshoe's phone began ringing and he hurriedly picked up. "Hello?"

Miles stared at his friend as he listened to the voice on the other end, carefully observing his facial expressions.

"T-Tres Bien, sir?... Yes... I-I understand sir... I-I'll be there soon. I'm in the area." He ended the call, then looked over at Edgeworth, his expression cool for a few moments before the facade shattered. "Mr. Edgeworth... There's been a shooting at Tres Bien. There's one dead, one injured. M-Mr. Edgeworth... M-Maggey... We have to go."

Wordlessly, he stood, throwing money down on the table. He didn't bother counting it, probably throwing down twice a much as necessary. He headed for his car, Gumshoe following close behind, nearly stepping on his heels.

The tension in the car as they drove to Tres Bien was so thick, someone could have cut it with a knife. Neither of them spoke, not wanting to admit their worst fear.

Edgeworth had barely even stopped the car before the detective jumped out, running toward the restaurant. He burst through the doors, almost slamming into two police officers.

The victim was on the ground, sheet covering them. With a shaking hand, Gumshoe drew back the white sheet... And immediately sighed in relief.

"Not who you were expecting?"

He whirled around to find himself face to face with Vitcko.

"Maggey Byrde was just admitted to the hospital, a gunshot wound to the left shoulder. She was lucky; a little bit lower and... Well, you know."

Gumshoe's eyes narrowed into a glare once the shock wore off, and Vitcko's eyes met his.

The other detective lowered his voice. "Consider that a warning, Dick... I wouldn't cross them again if I were you..."


	6. Chapter 6

"You bastard," Gumshoe hissed, eyes narrowing at Vitcko. His hands tightened into fists as he clenched his jaw. "You filthy bastard."

"Don't get mad at me," the detective replied. "It's your own fault. You were the one stupid enough to try to work against the Cadaverinis."

This was one of the few times in his life that Gumshoe truly felt enraged. His face darkened, making Vitcko back away just a bit in apprehension. The main reason Gumshoe had gotten his position was his gruff detective-like face, and when he was angry, it could be a bit intimidating.

He was aware of Edgeworth approaching, and he turned slightly to regard him, his eyes still smoldering with rage, the undertones of grief clearly present.

The prosecutor's eyes met those of Vitcko, and a silent message was passed between them. Miles looked down at the sheet, gaining control of his anger, then over at his friend, his brow furrowed in concern. "Detective…"

"Yes?" Vitcko replied, smarmy smile appearing on his lips. "Do you have something to say about the present circumstances?"

"I wasn't addressing you," he snarled rather uncharacteristically. He was never this direct, but his patience was wearing thin as he felt the noose tightening around his neck. "I was addressing Detective Gumshoe."

"Were you about to apologize?" he sneered. "You damn well should."

"Why don't you go and talk to the witnesses?" he suggested spitefully. "You're doing no good just standing here."

"Ha! You're rather naïve if you think the witnesses have seen anything. Or do you not realize just what kind of a situation you're in? Just look around, Miles Edgeworth." Vitcko motioned around.

Edgeworth turned, eyes taking in the people scattered around the restaurant. They weren't panicked like most who witness a murder would be; rather they were calm and cool, as if this sort of thing was expected. He paled as he began recognizing the faces of the men as people he had listed in his files. He had no idea that the Cadaverinis would go to such great lengths to warn him and Gumshoe off. Not so soon. Looking over at Gumshoe, he frowned, his eyes filling with worry.

"Detective…" he began again; unsure of what he could say. He longed to comfort him, but… What could he say? He couldn't even comfort himself most of the time.

"I'm going to take witness statements, sir," he said quietly.

"We'll make sure to see Miss Byrde the moment you're off-duty," Edgeworth promised.

"Yes sir," Gumshoe replied numbly. He ambled off towards the witnesses, frowning at the futility of it all. The witnesses regarded him with knowing smirks as he took out his notebook and began asking them questions.

The prosecutor was left standing with Vitcko, and he resisted the urge to scowl as he observed the crime scene. Slime balls like the man grinning toothily next to him was one of the reasons he wanted to take the Cadaverinis down. They could get away with anything just because they had money. It was infuriating. "You make me sick," he hissed.

"Do I? What a shame," he sneered, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just the messenger."

"You work for them... You got Detective Gumshoe into this mess by turning him over to Viola Cadaverini. What happened to you, Vitcko? When you joined the force, didn't you want to stop crime? To bring criminals to justice? Now you're the one committing them."

Vitcko's sneer became increasingly condescending as the words dripped from his mouth. "I woke up, Edgeworth. No matter how many people I arrested, no matter how many people you found guilty, people still committed crimes. Gruesome murders, kidnappings, theft, you name it. It's a lost cause, Edgeworth. A lost cause that you foolishly pursue. I've learned of an even greater cause... Money." He eyed him for a moment. "You know, it isn't too late for you to fix your mistake." He leaned closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. The prosecutor instinctively tried to pull back, but the other man had a firm grip on him. "The Cadaverinis could use someone like you, Edgeworth... A prosecutor in such high standing... You could help find their scapegoats guilty."

Miles didn't reply, instead glancing around the shop nervously. Any one of these men could shoot him and Gumshoe and get away with it. All the policemen there worked for the Cadaverinis... What had he gotten himself into? Maggey Byrde was shot because of him. He had to stop the investigation. He couldn't put any more people in danger! He could accept his own death, but the deaths of innocent people? They killed this man simply to get to him. Who was he? Did he even have a connection to the Cadaverinis? Or was he just killed to make him and Gumshoe sweat?

"Think about it," Vitcko suggested, pressing a folded up piece of paper in his hand before walking away. Nervously, the prosecutor unfolded it, revealing a phone number.

"I'm done taking witness statements, sir."

Edgeworth nearly jumped, not expecting Gumshoe to be behind him. He quickly shoved the paper in his pocket before the other could notice it. "Detective, you startled me... Did you get anything?"

"No sir. They all somehow managed to give conflicting reports. Even if we did catch the guy who shot Maggey, their testimonies would get us thrown out of court before you could say 'objection.' Of course, that wouldn't stop me from showing that guy a thing or two..." Gumshoe's fists clenched in anger, but this time the anger did not overcome the sadness and worry in his eyes. He sighed, a defeated expression coming to his face. "Can we go see her now, sir?"

He nodded, and the two made their way out of the restaurant and into Edgeworth's car.

They spent the car ride in relative silence, until the prosecutor spoke.

"Detective... We- We should stop the investigation."

Gumshoe glanced sharply over at Edgeworth, surprised. "Sir?"

"I'm causing innocent people to get hurt... I-"

"I'm not letting them get away with it," the detective interrupted, unusually bold. "They shot Maggey. They need to pay. Even if we don't bring them to court, I'll- I'll..." He didn't continue, instead looking out the window.

"You c-... I see..." Miles turned into the hospital parking lot, unsure of himself. The detective was determined to find Maggey's attackers, while he just wanted to prevent another person being hurt like she had. Of course, if he were to stop the Cadaverinis... But no... They already knew what he was up to. One more wrong move, and he was dead. He followed Gumshoe into the hospital wordlessly. They remained in silence as they made their way to her room.

"Detective Gumshoe!" Maggey greeted cheerfully. "You came to visit me!"

"Of course pal," he replied softly, sinking into a chair beside her bed. "When I heard what had happened, I... How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Detective. Honestly." She looked uncomfortable with his serious expression. "Considering everything else that has happened to me, this was bound to happen one day... But it's okay! You'll catch the guy, right?" She smiled at him, saluting him with her uninjured arm.

"Of course!" the detective exclaimed. "Who ever did this to you won't go unpunished!"

Edgeworth just stood by the door, watching the two. He didn't feel comfortable enough to join in on their conversation as they moved on to happier topics. There was a smile on Gumshoe's face, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Instead, he had been thinking about what Vitcko told him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone number, staring at it for a good few minutes. Flipping open his cell phone, he dialed a number he never would have expected to call. He stepped out of the room as someone picked up.

"Hello?"

"Bruto Cadaverini?"

"... I had expected you to call sooner, Miles Edgeworth. You've considered our deal?"

"Yes... I... I'm going to accept."

"I'm glad you were smart enough to make the right choice, Mr. Edgeworth. I'll be sending you your instructions soon."


	7. Chapter 7

The Underworld

Chapter 7

**A/N I'm finally taking this off of hiatus. Hurray! This chapter might seem a bit on the slower side compared to the others, but there were things that just needed to be mentioned. I'll get back into the swing of things soon. :)**

It had been a few days since Maggey had been admitted to the hospital. Gumshoe had made sure to see her every day after he was finished with work. Tomorrow was the day she was scheduled to be released from the hospital, but he couldn't say that he was entirely pleased with that. She was safe there- not even the Cadaverinis would shoot someone at a hospital. At home… Well anything could happen there.

His investigation over who had carried out the shooting had gone nowhere. It had been the Cadaverinis or one of their associates, but that hardly narrowed it down. Just yesterday he had been ordered to drop the investigation by the head detective.

"_The trail's gone cold, Dick. It's a waste of man hours."_

Gumshoe wondered how much the head detective knew about the incident. Nearly everyone knew the man had been murdered by the mobsters, but had they known that it was a message to him and Edgeworth? It was hard to tell; everything seemed so much darker down at the precinct, but perhaps that was just his own perceptions now.

A sigh left his lips as he tapped his pen against his desk, staring blankly down at the case file. The Revaldi case… He was supposed to be working on it with Edgeworth, but the prosecutor hadn't contacted him since the shooting. It put him somewhat on edge, but what could he do about it? Edgeworth was Edgeworth, and it wasn't uncommon for him to ignore him until he was needed. Still, after everything that had happened he wished the other would at least give him a reassuring phone call.

The detective forced his hands to be still when his tapping earned him an irritated glance from one of his co-workers and he frowned as he tried to focus on the case file in front of him instead. Revaldi; some small-time business man whose shipment of goods was apparently stolen off the truck before they could arrive. Gumshoe hadn't spent very much time looking over the reports- stopping the Cadaverinis had been higher on his priority list than nabbing some small-time thieves. His finger ran down the list of suspects before he turned the page to the information collected about each of them. Deciding he really shouldn't be ignoring the case, he began reading through the file despite his attention wanting to wander elsewhere.

The gears in his mind turned slowly as he began piecing things together, page turning becoming more erratic as things started falling into place. A motive, the means, the opportunity… Only one of the suspects had all three. Ian Galty, who had lost nearly everything after having to pay off a big debt to the loan shark at Tender Lender. Already convicted of grand larceny and released on good behavior- it wasn't a stretch to think that he would return to his old ways…

Someone cleared their throat, and Gumshoe looked up, startled to see the head detective standing in front of his desk. "Sir?"

"Dick, I have to take you off the Revaldi case."

"What? Why sir? I've just about solved it! All I need to do is give one last sweep for evidence and-"

"Sorry Dick. Stolen goods ended up in Canada. You know what that means- Federal crime so the Feds are taking over." The head detective shook his head slowly. "Already handed everything over to them. Just need to give them that file now."

He held out his hand and Gumshoe held back a sigh, handing it over. "Yes sir…" The first time he had solved a case on his own in a while and this had to happen… "Do you have something else for me to work on, sir?"

"Why don't you go home early? Nothing more you can do today." With that, the head detective turned and walked away back to his desk.

Gumshoe frowned, shoving his hands into his pockets before starting to make his way out of the precinct. Well he supposed that he could spend more time with Maggey today. That drew a small smile from him- a silver lining in everything. He was about to turn the corner when he paused, hearing a familiar voice.

"Yeah, he's prosecuting tomorrow. Shouldn't need to worry about it- he'll get him a guilty sentence for sure. Then that guy'll be out of your hair for good."

Vitcko. What was he talking about? He didn't know there was going to be a trial tomorrow… He pressed against the wall, peering around the corner carefully. The other detective- if he could even still be called that- was alone, talking on his cellphone; probably to a Cadaverini goon.

"Hey, they don't call that guy the 'Demon Prosecutor' for nothing. Trial will probably be over in a day."

Gumshoe's heart began pounding in his chest, head spinning in confusion. They were talking about Edgeworth! But why? He wouldn't prosecute a case without telling him! … Okay, so he would, but for the Cadaverinis to be interested in it… They must have framed someone. He'd have to warn Edgeworth!

"Hm? Gumshoe? Nah. You don't need to worry about him. I've worked with him for years. Couldn't deduce his way out of a paper bag- nothing more but some muscle for Edgeworth. He's not going to make a move on his own. Especially after what happened to Byrde. Told you that would work like a charm."

Gumshoe's hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles began to ache almost instantly and it took all his willpower not to charge forward and clobber the man. He was the reason that Maggey had been hurt! As his blood pounded in his ears, he discovered that he missed whatever it was that Vitcko said next, hearing just the sharp 'snap' of a phone closing. As footsteps began coming his way, the detective nearly panicked, backpedaling quickly. Eyes darting around, he quickly found a side hallway, ducking down in and crouching behind a potted plant. Peering through the leaves, he was going to watch to make see where the other was going before-

"Detective Gumshoe?"

Gumshoe jumped, whirling around to find Phoenix Wright standing there, his assistant Maya beside him. "What are you doing wandering around here, pal?"

"We're on a case!" Maya replied cheerfully, touching the tips of her fingers together. "Care to slip us some information?"

"Mmph." He glanced away, scratching the back of his head. "You're defending someone? Is it that case that's happening tomorrow?"

"That's the one!" she replied cheerfully.

"We could really use your help on this one, Gumshoe," Phoenix replied, taking out a manila folder that he had tucked under his arm. "Here's-"

"Sorry pal, I can't help you."

Maya nodded, giving him a knowing smile. "Riiight."

"No, I'm serious."

"Being with the prosecution's never stopped you before! Come on, we just need the basics here."

"It's not that," Gumshoe replied. "I'm not on the case. I didn't even know that there was a case going to court until a couple of minutes ago."

"Whaaat?" The pair looked flabbergasted.

"I've never defended a case where you weren't the detective in charge. I guess I forgot that there are other detectives," Phoenix admitted with a laugh. He paused, frowning slightly. "You don't look happy, Detective."

Should he tell him that the Cadaverinis were involved in this one? No, he'd better not. Then he'd just be dragged into danger- Wright wasn't one to drop a case just because things got dangerous. "I guess I'm just disappointed to be left out of the action. Haven't missed one of your trials before- they're always exciting to watch."

"You should come watch anyway," Maya replied cheerfully. "It just wouldn't be the same without you there! You can even still come to our victory celebration."

"I'll see what I can do," Gumshoe replied, managing a smile. Hopefully once he got to Edgeworth, there wouldn't even be a trial. Not when he was certain that the defendant was being framed by the Cadaverinis. Who was in charge of this case anyway? One of the detectives on the take, probably… "Be careful with this one, pal."

"Careful? What do you mean?" Phoenix asked, blinking. "So you do know something about this case?"

"N-No, just… Mr. Edgeworth's the prosecutor, so it's going to be a tough one."

"Edgeworth? Really?" Maya exclaimed. "But Nick, why's Edgeworth going after someone who's obviously innocent?" She covered her mouth with her hand as she murmured, "I thought he was done with that sort of thing…"

"I'm sure Mr. Edgeworth has good reason to be prosecuting this case, pal!" the detective snapped defensively. Why hadn't the prosecutor told him anything about this?

"Yeah, I'm sure Gumshoe's right," the defense attorney decided. "Come on, Maya. Let's see if we can find out what sort of evidence the police have. Nice seeing you." He gave the detective a nod before starting off down the hall again. Maya gave him a cheerful wave that he made sure to return.

Now he really needed to see Edgeworth. Hurrying to his car, it didn't take him long to reach the prosecutor's office across town.

Gumshoe practically leaped out of the elevator before making his way to the office, not even bothering to knock on the door as he just burst into the room. "Mr. Edgeworth, sir! There's something you need to know about that case tomorrow!"

"Oh? Do tell, Gumshoe." Sitting in the chair in front of Edgeworth's desk with his feet propped up on it was Vitcko, who was giving him a smarmy smile. "What could you possibly know about our case, hm?"


End file.
